(no subject)

[rivka]

Did I mention that Michael and I are co-teaching OWL this spring?

This weekend is the first overnight. The kids arrived at the church at six to have dinner, do a session, and play games. Tomorrow we'll do two more sessions and wrap up at 3:30pm. Michael and I will have childcare for the regular weekly sessions, but we're doing the overnight by swapping off. So Alex, Colin, and I went to church to have dinner with the OWL kids, and then I brought my children home and Michael stayed to do the evening session with our co-teacher Laura. Tomorrow morning, he'll stay home with the kids and I'll go do a session with Laura. In the afternoon, he'll bring the kids down to church and he and I will trade off watching them and being in the session. It's complicated, but it works for us.

All this is by way of explanation so that I can now make this remark:

If your teenager can look at a woman who is nursing and ask "Is that your baby?" ...your kid is probably overdue for OWL.

Just sayin'.

(Also, hooray! I forgot that I have an OWL icon.)

Comments

[wcg.livejournal.com]

If your teenager can look at a woman who is nursing and ask "Is that your baby?"

Perhaps the teenager has heard of wetnurses?

[zeldajean.livejournal.com]

Admittedly, this was my first thought.

[nex0s.livejournal.com]

Considering that wetnurses are not the norm in our society, I think it's a pretty strange question. As a teen I had heard of wetnurses, but was pretty sure I'd never seen one.

In the summertime, I saw women in the park do a doubletake with me when I would nurse my son. He's so much lighter than I am, I think they assumed I was the Nanny, until I nursed him.

N.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

I am enjoying imagining the shocked posts to the I Saw Your Nanny (http://isawyournanny.blogspot.com/) blog.

But beyond that, that sucks. I'm sorry.

[nex0s.livejournal.com]

*shrug*

Honestly, I've been expecting it. It's not just white women - black women who *are* nannies have assumed I am my son's nanny. When I was growing up, most people assumed I was adopted by my mother. She always set them straight. It's interesting to watch and see the reactions though.

What I think is weirdest, is that he's not really that light. We are basically the same color, but since I have kinky hair, I'm percieved as being darker than I am. Very weird.

N.

[kuangning]

Y'know, I had just the same experiences with my children. "Where are his Mom and Dad?" I'd get asked while out with Logan. "Oh, she's so pretty! Whose is she?" some woman wanted to know when I took Ari to my post-natal checkup. And the shocked looks when I'd breastfeed were not all about my shawl-covered breasts. Eventually, I learned to just headshake and keep going, but it was really hurtful at first.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Uh, yeah, but in 21st century America, is that really the way to bet?

(I think that in actuality he just didn't realize what Colin was doing.)

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Um, have you visited 21st century America lately?

B

[acceberskoorb.livejournal.com]

LOL

[edschweppe.livejournal.com]

Hurrah for OWL! And yay you and Michael for facilitating it!

Are you doing the 7-9 or 10-12 curriculum?

[rivka.livejournal.com]

7-9, Our church is hoping to offer 10-12 at some point, but they haven't gotten it off the ground yet.

[ailbhe]

Wetnursing was my first thought, but I instantly dismissed it, because if the teenager lived in a culture where that happened, they'd tell you so, and be all enthusiastic, or have some sort of "My mom's friend Julie nursed me when she babysat," story or something.

Hurrah for OWL.

[laurarey.livejournal.com]

Uhm...just another perspective to offer...I've had people ask me if Rachel was mine. Because I don't look 20-something (or even early 30's), I think people wonder if she is really mine. Just a thought.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

ARE YOU SAYING THAT I LOOK OLD?!?!?!

Just kidding. Makes sense, especially when you consider that these kids probably think of me as being their parents' age (I think I'm younger than all of their parents, but I don't expect a 13-year-old to differentiate between middle-aged ages.)

I actually do think that "is that your baby" is a reasonable question when he's crawling around on the floor. But when he was attached to my nipple, not so much.

[laurarey.livejournal.com]

Heh...sorry, that wasn't what I meant at all. And I think I missed the part where he was attached at the breast.